ACT Nomination for the Subclass 190 Visa
ACT nomination for the subclass 190 visa carries a commitment to live and work in Canberra for at least two years from visa grant, and applicants are assessed as Canberra residents or as overseas applicants.
What does ACT 190 nomination require?
The ACT must nominate you before Home Affairs invites you to apply for the permanent subclass 190 visa. You must meet the Home Affairs criteria, including a valid English test and skills assessment, at the date you submit the Matrix and until nomination.
| Criterion | Canberra resident | Overseas applicant |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway | Occupation on the ACT list, Doctorate Streamlined or Small Business Owner | Occupation on the ACT list, or Doctorate Streamlined (doctorate awarded within two years) |
| Residence | Lived in Canberra at least six months at submission, and until invitation | Living overseas, not in Australia for the last year, no current Australian visa except a visitor visa |
| Work | Worked in Canberra at least 26 weeks (30 hours or more a week in 26 of the 30 weeks before submission) | At least three years full-time post-graduate experience in the nominated occupation in the last five years |
| English | Proficient or Superior, with exceptions for Chef and ANZSCO skill level 3 to 5 | The same |
| Statements | Signed commitment declaration | Employment statement and a commitment statement in your own words, plus access to settlement funds |
An older adviser rule of 12 months’ residence does not match the ACT’s own page, which states six months. Partner points need a marriage or civil partnership certificate, or VEVO secondary applicant status.
What does the two-year commitment involve?
You must live and work in Canberra for at least two years from visa grant, or from arrival in Canberra if you are moving from overseas. After the grant, email the ACT Migration team the grant notice and complete settlement surveys at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. The ACT states you are not released from your signed obligations. See ACT 491 visa nomination for how the provisional visa differs.
What applies to small business owners?
Residents can use the Small Business Owner pathway if they are the majority owner of an eligible registered ACT business, meet all other criteria and claim Matrix points in that category. Self-employed applicants who are not claiming those points need an ABN with at least 12 months of ACT business activity and a statutory declaration.
How is an ACT 190 submission prepared?
- Submit a valid SkillSelect EOI.
- Submit the Matrix (A$25) and read the Canberra Matrix explained, then test the claim with the Canberra Matrix points table.
- Wait for an invitation; see the latest Canberra Matrix invitation round.
- Lodge the nomination application (A$325) with documents proving each claim.
For the wider process, read ACT skilled migration nomination.
What if nomination is refused?
The ACT pages read give no review step for a refused nomination. Read the refusal notice for any step it names. It is a different decision from a Home Affairs visa refusal. The ACT states that demand for 190 nomination far exceeds the allocation.
Next step
Documents that do not prove the claimed points lead to refusal. An application prepared by an Australian migration lawyer is more likely to succeed. A Canberra immigration lawyer for 190 and 491 applications tests each claim against the criteria before lodging, and immigration lawyers in Canberra also prepare the visa that follows. A migration lawyer in Canberra can answer residence or employment questions that the criteria leave open. Enquire about a migration matter.
Sources and dates
ACT Government: 190 nomination criteria · page copy dated 18 October 2026
ACT Government: 190, Canberra resident eligibility · page copy dated 10 August 2026
ACT Government: 190, overseas applicant eligibility · page copy dated 18 October 2026
ACT Government: application fees · page copy dated 9 October 2026